Naveen Patnaik
– Photo: PTI
Expansion
The ‘Lungi vs Dhoti’ debate started in Odisha politics when Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan targeted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wearing lungi in a video message. BJP leaders claimed that the culture of the state is dhoti, not lungi. BJD leaders highlighted the importance of lungi and said how its promotion would benefit the weavers of Sambalpur.
Patnaik was seen wearing a red lungi and white T-shirt in a video message appealing to people to vote on his party’s election symbol for both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. BJD released this video on Monday night. But Pradhan, while addressing an election rally at Likera in Jharsuguda district on Tuesday, made fun of Patnaik’s clothes.
Pradhan said, you all must have seen our elderly Naveen Babu wearing lungi. He had a conch in his hand. There is a Gumast (clerk) who gets these things done. He said, he should have brought pajama and kurta for an elderly person like Naveen Babu. I respect Naveen Babu. But should they have done so?
Pradhan is the BJP candidate from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat. After his speech went viral on social media, BJD reacted sharply. Two lungi-wearing BJD spokespersons, Sasmit Patra and Prakash Mahapatra himself, addressed the press conference on Tuesday. In which he highlighted the importance of lungi and told how its promotion will help the weavers of Sambalpur. The next day on Wednesday, Pradhan visited Athamallik area of Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat wearing dhoti and kurta during his election campaign.